Executive Message

Let me begin by saying it has been a pleasure to serve the CSEG as the Director of Communications and a member of the CSEG Executive during 2008-2009. I want to thank the CSEG members for entrusting me with this position and previously with the Assistant Communication Director during 2007-2008. This 2-year term gave me the opportunity to serve in the CSEG Executive Committee for the second time in my career and to give back to a Society I feel strongly about. For those members not aware of what the responsibilities of the Communications Director are, here is the job description as stated in the CSEG Bylaws, Section 6:

“The Director of Communications shall maintain a complete list of the membership of the Society; ensure that the minutes of all meetings of the Society and Executive Committee are kept; ensure the mailing and posting via the Website of advance notices of meetings to all members; notify the members by mail of proposed amendments to the Bylaws; shall transact any other business ordered by the Executive Committee. The Director of Communications shall have custody of the seal and shall be responsible for its safekeeping; and shall see that the seal is affixed to all documents requiring the seal of the Society. The Director of Communications shall also be responsible for regular and timely dissemination of information to the membership i.e., RECORDER, Website.” As you see you can easily volunteer to fill this position!

In my first year as Deputy Communications Director, I have participated in the monthly Executive meetings either by phone or by flying to Calgary from St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador (at my own expense as I did not feel that it justified using the CSEG corporate jet). Why the long commute you might ask? At that time I was an Associate Professor and held the Husky Senior Fellow in Exploration Geophysics position at Memorial University in St John’s, NL. It was a rare situation when one member of your Executive was based elsewhere in Canada other than in Calgary. Being in St John’s, I had the chance to promote our society and to communicate our goals and activities to various university, provincial government and petroleum company geophysicists and students active in Atlantic Canada. Several times during my position, the CSEG sponsored activities at the Atlantic Canadian universities or sessions at other societies’ conventions on the East Coast. No doubt more work is needed to recruit members and officers from other regions of Canada and even abroad. I think it is important that the CSEG maintain an active presence in the Eastern and Central Canada, as the word “Canadian” is the first word in the society’s name.

One disappointment occurred during my working years at the university and while lecturing across the country. It was the realization that most of the geophysics professors are not members of our society. They belong rather to scientific societies such as CGU, GAC, AGU, etc., rather than a petroleum related, professional society such as ours. The university will pay for one or a maximum two professional society memberships for their professors. There is a real danger in having so few professors and student mentors as members of the CSEG. Except for those West Canada based, most geophysics professors have little or no knowledge of our dynamic society or of the advances in petroleum exploration geophysics in this country and abroad. Moreover, they are not aware of the many possibilities of employment in petroleum geophysics and are not actively promoting the CSEG among the undergraduate and graduate student body!

Based on these observations, I proposed to the CSEG Executive that the society considers awarding free memberships to all interested geophysics professors in recognized Canadian Universities in order to keep them well-informed about the activities of the Society and especially our Convention, Publications, Doodle Train, Scholarships, Awards and to promote the Society to their students.

My term was also filled with lots of highlights. As the Communications Director I had pleasure to work with Satinder Chopra and the other RECORDER editors. This publication in my view is one of the world’s best professional geophysical magazines and is clearly due to Satinder’s leadership, the other editors’ contributions, the numerous scientific and professional authors and of course our many advertisers.

One of the proposals related to the RECORDER put forward during my term was the idea to produce peer review articles for insert into the CSEG RECORDER. This would give Canadian and foreign authors the chance to produce and publish refereed papers in the RECORDER and make our magazine an even better publication. So, watch for these peer review articles in future issues of the RECORDER. It is hoped that they will stimulate discussion and debate amongst the members.

Another highlight during the past two years was seeing the society continuously modernized its website so that became much more interactive. My hat goes off to the great work done by several dedicated Society members and by our fantastic office staff. Due to their efforts, today you can pay or renew your membership on line, maintain an up-to-date list of members’ contacts and register and pay for the fantastic monthly CSEG luncheons.

During my 2 year term, I have enjoyed working with Presidents Doug Bogstie and Francois Aubin, with all the Executive Committee members and with our office stars Sheryl Megesson and Jim Racette. Hopefully, before my “final and ultimate” retirement, I will have the chance to volunteer again for our Society – a place where most of my friends and colleagues belong and where most of us have learned and improved our tools of the trade.

Finally, I wish Carol Laws good luck in her 2009 Director of Communication position, and thank you all again for your trust in me. I wish each and every member and their families for a joyful Christmas and prosperous New Year!